Ford Excursion Trademark Gets Renewed

Since its discontinuation in 2006, Ford's gargantuan, Super Duty-based Excursion SUV has become something of a cult classic. For more than two decades, the F-250-based SUV has held the distinction of being the longest SUV ever mass-produced at 226.7 inches, making it still an inch longer than the colossal new Chevrolet Suburban—and quite a monster at towing. Giant car fans would rejoice if Ford were to announce the Excursion's return, and it's possible a trademark filing we recently dug up could give them hope.

On April 24, Ford filed for the rights to the Excursion name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), marking its first new bid for the moniker in more than a decade and its only application for the trademark with the USPTO since July 1998. 

Unlike Ford's original 1996 filing, which granted it the rights to the name as pertaining to "motor vehicles, namely, automobiles, trucks, vans, and their structural parts," 2020's application notably adds the provision to use the moniker for "electric vehicles, sport utility vehicles, [and] off-road vehicles."

Could the Excursion come back as an EV this time? We have no evidence to indicate that's the case, and weighing in on it would be little more than speculation. But who knows. Ford's plan to launch an electric F-150 within the next few years are already well-known, and it stands to reason that larger electric F-Series—including possible Super Duty derivates—may eventually follow. In theory, Ford's EV partner Rivian could even provide it with the underpinnings for an electric Excursion, expediting the nameplate's return to the Ford lineup.

And over at General Motors, the famed Hummer brand—another giant SUV from the early aughts—is also poised to come back with electric power. If Ford needed a rival, perhaps it would have it in the Excursion. 

On the other hand, automakers regularly file trademarks on names they only want the option of using, and like last year's Chevrolet Cavalier trademark app again demonstrated, a USPTO filing doesn't inherently indicate a plan to revive a dead nameplate. 

The most likely scenario is that Ford's doing some intellectual property protection, reserving the Excursion name so it can use it in the future. So, will it?

Well, as low as gas prices are these days, there's hardly a worse time to launch a superlatively sized new SUV than during the biggest economic slowdown in almost a century. One could argue that growing demand for EVs makes the case for relaunching the Excursion with electric drive, but Ford might beg to differ, as it just canceled a Lincoln EV project with partner Rivian. 

At the very least, Excursion is a good name. Maybe we'll see it make a comeback in some form. 

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